Fighting climate change and helping residents with fuel costs is the dual success of a large new solar energy scheme in West Cornwall.Eight flats at Davy House at Treneere, Penzance, will save over five tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted each year and will produce half of their electricity demands.“This will reduce the running costs of the flats, saving money and the environment” said Andy Tanner of ‘Plug into the Sun’ the solar photo-voltair (PV) installation company based at St Levan.
Penwith Housing Association (PHA) which manages over 6,000 homes in Cornwall and has pioneered energy schemes, has installed 48 solar panels on the roof of the flats.This latest scheme has the benefit of funding under the Government’s new low carbon building programme and from the Treneere Together Partnership.
Davy House is named after the great scientist, Sir Humphry Davy, whose statue dominates Penzance main street and who invented the miner’s safety lamp.“The Treneere system supplies up to an 8.4k Wp of electricity to the grid at times when it cannot be fully used within the building” commented Denys Stephens, PHA Sustainability Manager.
It will produce about 8,000k a year – the same as two domestic houses will use, and the energy will be split between the eight flats.“The grant is being allocated on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis so it is important that we get as many installations throughout Cornwall as possible” added Mr Tanner.He and PHA recently won a national award from the Renewal Energy Association for a solar scheme.Solar PV energy produces power from daylight – not just sunlight.“As fuel prices continue to rise and climate change becomes a reality, it is important we all do our bit to reduce our energy demand and use renewable energy”.
Since its start over two years ago ‘Plug into the Sun’ has put in solar power systems for households, community groups, businesses and local authorities.Mr Stephens remarked “The Davy House panels are mounted on the south facing slope of the roof to obtain maximum energy from the sun”.
The systems have been funded by the ‘Treneere TogetherPartnership’ and the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.They generate no greenhouse gases.
The picture shows (L-R) Peter Ede , Denys Stephens, Andy Tanner and Caroline White.
